Winter Hostels?

[Transient Being]

Hey everybody. Im planning a road trip to Colorado in next couple days and am trying to make it a cheap trip, as I will be traveling solo. I am looking for a hostel or other cheap lodging near a ski area. I want to ski and snowshoe and just enjoy nature. Ive never been to CO, and live 1,700 miles away! So looking for some ideas of cheap places to stay and do what I want to do. I may stay for up to 2 weeks. Thanks alot

[Transient Being]

I just want to add that "cheap" is a relative term. I am well aware that this trip is gonna take money. I am just talking inexpensive lodging. Thanks.

[Coffee]

Consider Breckenridge. Fireside Inn. Great hostel in town.

http://www.firesideinn.com/

[Mags]

I have not tried it yet, but there is a new hostel called The Bivvi offers (http://thebivvi.com/) a $30 bunk and breakfast stay. Mention online posts for the discount “Hot tub…outdoor firepit..draft beer”. On free bus line and next to Breck brew pub!



This hostel is also in Breck.

[colorado_rob]

I replied on the duplicate thread, repeated here:

Wow, that's a toughie this time of year, the Prime ski season. Hopefully someone on here can help you, I cannot much. Looks like Coffee and Mags have a couple suggestions... (though I personally do not much like Breck skiing, purely an opinion).

As far as ski areas go, Loveland is one of the least expensive, and the place I now do 90% of my skiing (one hour or less from our house). Sunlight (near Glenwood springs) is another inexpensive choice, as is Ski Cooper.

Here's a link to a lift ticket deal at Sunlight:

http://www.travelzoo.com/local-deals..._deal%3a144415

One option for a couple inexpensive days: hike the Barr trail on Pikes Peak and stay one night at Barr Camp, I think staying there including dinner and breakfast is maybe $36? Just go to barrcamp.com The caretakers, Anthony and Renee are awesome. You do have to carry up your own sleeping bag. The next day you can wander further up the mountain if you like or even all the way if you're very fit and somewhat acclimated. Sometimes snowshoes help, but the most common piece of footwear on the Barr trail is a pair of microspikes as the trail gets packed down hard and can be slick. We climb Pikes via. the Barr trail a couple times every winter.

Funny, we're heading OUT of Colorado for 10 days or so for a 3000+ mile road trip to the SE USA (to "climb" a bunch of state high points).... We're ready to thaw out a bit (if indeed we hit warmer weather back there!)

If you backcountry ski, there is the 10th mountain division hut system, booked solid on weekends, but might have vacancies on weeknights. Google them up. some huts are relatively short ski-ins, others are much longer. You can also simply snowshoe to the huts.

Obviously, prepare for frigid and/or blizzard conditions, although CO is famous for bright sunny days as well in the winter. Lately it has been very cold out here, warming up a bit this week though.

[Mags]

Heck, if yo do Ski Cooper, go to the nearby Leadville Hostel as an inexpensive option.

I do not area ski, so I am not overly familiar with the ski areas. I do know Cooper is a nice, low-key locals area from what people told me.

[hikeandbike5]

check the hostels listed at the bottom of the page under the resupply towns here: http://www.pmags.com/colorado-trail-end-to-end-guide-2

then give them a call to see if they're open.

[Coffee]

Leadville hostel is great as well. Town is much less touristy than Breckenridge.

[Mags]

Leadville hostel is great as well. Town is much less touristy than Breckenridge.

Lots of other opportunities beyond Ski Cooper as well. Rent some x-country gear and there is a lovely route across the HWY that takes in the CT and another popular trail (or snowshoe it) for a good loop. In the town itself, there is the Mineral Belt Trail that also makes a great x-country ski (or, again, snowshoe).

Even in winter the Leadville Hostel can get busy. If you do decide to go there, I'd call sooner rather than later.

Great hostel for sure! And, yeah, Leadville has a more low-key vibe than other towns in Colorado.

[colorado_rob]

And, yeah, Leadville has a more low-key vibe than other towns in Colorado.AND more low-temperature "vibe" than most of the rest of Colorado! Brrrr.... Still, we do head up there at least once a winter. Check out the Tennessee Pass café for some excellent eats. The SE ridge route on Mount Elbert (from the twin lakes trailhead, close to Leadville), the highest peak in the state is a popular winter snowshoe; it is quite Avy safe and almost always tracked out.

[Transient Being]

Ok, cool guys. Thanks alot! This is a great help. Its lookin kinda tight fit at most places, but there are still a few beds available.